Can't sit through all 17 hours of Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle? Consider then Lorin Maazel's "The Ring Without Words."

Many classical music fans thought the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra had made history this week by permanently hiring a female Concert Master into its ranks. If classical music's not your beat, it's a mistake easily made.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is known for its signature Viennese sound, which is defined by the instruments it plays and the way its musicians play them.

Whether a matter of affirmative action or simply a search for the best talent, the balance of gender in many American orchestras is moving closer to parity. Tradition dies harder in Europe, including at the Vienna Philharmonic.